silly

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.

   • They were laughing at a silly joke.
   • silly grin
   • This is the silliest stuffe, that euer I heard.
2. 2

   Blessed

   • The sylyman lay and herde, / And hys wyf answerd.
   • The King of Spaine is counted very ſtrong, and the Pope is counted very ſtrong, because they haue a ſtrong hand to perſecute the ſilly ones of leſus Chriſt.
3. 3

   Pitiful, inspiring compassion, particularly

   • The fire raging upon the silly Carcase.
   • Silly... in the same sense as E. poor is often used, denoting a state which excites compassion.
4. ›+ 8 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Pitiful, inspiring compassion

      • There is no best in þe word, I wene... / That suffuris halfe so myche tene / As doth þe sylly wat.
      • In the silly lambis skin He crap als far as he micht win.
   2. 5

      Simple, plain

      • Dauid had no more but a sylie slynge, and a few stones.
   3. 6

      Mentally simple, foolish

      • From Hell (of which the silly people of the Country think the top of this hill to be the mouth).
   4. 7

      Very close to the batsman, facing the bowler

      Very close to the batsman, facing the bowler; closer than short.

      • Carpenter now placed himself at silly-point for Grundy, who was playing very forward.
   5. 8

      Sillily

      Sillily: in a silly manner.

      • If you did but see how silly a Man fumbles for an Excuse, when he's a little asham'd of being in Love.
   6. 9

      A silly person.

      • While they, poor sillies, bid good night, O' love an' bogles eerie.
      • "Oh, Bill. I can't - Oh, my dear, I've been hoping so much.... Oh, Bill..." said Josella. I had forgotten all about Susan until a voice came from above. "You are getting wet, you silly. Why don't you kiss her indoors?" it asked.
   7. 10

      A term of address.

      • ‘Come on, silly,’ said Nannie.
   8. 11

      A mistake.

The neighborhood

• synonymcharmingplayful
• synonymAlso see Thesaurus:foolish
• antonympiousantonym(s) of “playful”